"Oh, make your mind easy about that! She has no mother--never had one," with a coarse laugh. "She might be a princess for all that's known about her. But that's no business of yours."
"No. You will be sure to write to me?"
"Do you think," said Ned, with a significant look at the bank-notes, "that I'd be such a fool with my money if I didn't mean what I've said? Not likely! Take care and act the character well--tell her any stories you like about swell ladies and fine people--she likes to hear 'em. Goodbye, aunty."
With a familiar nod and swagger he passed out of the room.
Almost before Mrs. Lenoir had time to recover her composure, she was rejoined by Lizzie, whose appearance betokened a state of great excitement.
"Oh, Mrs. Lenoir," she cried, "Charlie knows him--Charlie knows him!"
"Knows whom?"
"The gentleman who has just gone out. Charlie ran round in his dinner hour to see me, and we were talking together in the passage when the gentleman passed. Charlie knew him directly, although it's years since he saw him, and although Charlie was only a boy at the time. His name's Chester--Ned Chester."
"Lizzie, you are lifting a great weight from my heart. He gave me another name. Are you sure Charlie is right?"
"Am I sure?" repeated Lizzie, with a saucy toss of her head. "Charlie is never wrong."